Milligan University split a pair of conference games

Published 10:19 am Monday, January 9, 2023

By Ron Marvel

Star Correspondent

Milligan University hit the hardcourt Saturday afternoon to improve its position in the Appalachian Athletic Conference. The women’s team hosted Brenau University while the men’s team traveled to Point University in West Point Georgia.

JOHNSON CITY – The lady Buffs jumped out to a ten-point lead in the first quarter after a Semaj Clark 12-foot jump shot rattled through making the score 17-7 at the 1:41 mark. Ball security would become an issue in the final moments of the first period and would allow the Golden Tigers to close on a run taking the lead down to just four going into the second quarter. Cloudland’s own Stacia Wilson would kick the Buffs off in the second period with a jumper to push the lead to six. Milligan once again would take a ten-point lead before once again Brenau battled back cutting the lead to two at the 2:04 mark off a Katherine Fourie free throw. Buff Erin Larkin would respond with a three-pointer from the left perimeter to push it back to five, but the Tigers wouldn’t go down easily when Fourie would hit another three-pointer with two seconds left in the half.

The see-saw action would continue in the second half with several ties, but Milligan would never relinquish the lead. Kristy Galea would hit a jumper to push the lead back to four for the Buffs and kick off a 6-0 run to take a 39-33 lead at the 4:39 mark of the third period. Brenau would cut the lead to two again at the 2:52 mark of the third period after a layup but could get no closer as Milligan began to distance themselves in the final period pushing the final score to a 13-point Lady Buff advantage.

Milligan defensively would hold the Tigers to just 22% shooting on the day while hitting 15 of their 17 free throw attempts. Galea led the way for the Buffs with 15 while Stacia Wilson chipped in 8. The Lady Buffs improved to 12-4 overall and 10-2 in the conference and will host Reinhardt Wednesday night.

WEST POINT, Ga. – The Men’s squad started off cold not scoring until 15:27 of the first period and shooting just 33% for the day. The Skyhawks meanwhile would push a lead to as many as 13 in the first half before a Sami Sanad floater would cut the lead down to ten,  38-28,  going into the locker room. The Buffs would be able to cut the lead to 45-40 in the second half off three-pointers by Sam Gold and Dylan Bartley but could get no closer on the day. Milligan was outrebounded on the day 33-23.

 Dylan Bartley led all scorers with 17, Eli Walls chipped 13, while Finn McClure contributed ten rebounds. Milligan fell to 5-9 overall and 5-6 in the conference and will host Union Monday night at 6 pm.